One of four major wildfires fanned by fierce wind in
Southern California has moved within six miles of Santa Anita, where track supervisors
and horsemen are keeping watch in case evacuations are necessary.

“Due to sustained high winds, both tracks are closed for
training today,” the Santa Anita racing office said in an overnight text message.
A similar notice was sent Tuesday morning, ending training just after 8:30 a.m.
PST.

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Trainer John Sadler posted a photo on X that he took at 4
a.m. local time. Taken from the horsemen’s entrance on the southwest side of
Santa Anita, it showed flames in the immediate distance to the northwest.

The Eaton fire that broke out Tuesday evening in nearby Altadena
burned 3 1/2 square miles by dawn Wednesday, according to Cal Fire. Local,
county and federal teams have responded, but according to a 9:44 a.m. EST update,
none of the fire had been contained.

Evacuations were ordered for foothill residents from La
Cañada Flintridge 12 miles northwest of the track to Monrovia five miles to the
northeast. Evacuation warnings, a level below the orders, were posted for the
north side of the Foothill Freeway from Pasadena to Duarte. That zone is less
than a mile from the Santa Anita stables.

According to Cal Fire, animal evacuation shelters have been
made available at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank, the Pierce College
Equestrian Center in Woodland Hills and the Agoura Animal Care Center in Agoura
Hills. There was no indication yet of how many horses if any may have been moved.

The fires across Los Angeles County have forced at least
30,000 residents out of their homes, mostly in the coastal hills of Pacific Palisades.
An estimated 13,000 buildings were under threat, according to The Associated
Press. There were no immediate reports on the extent of injuries or damaged structures.

The fires have been fueled by an abnormally dry winter and what
is known locally as Santa Ana wind, which has been blowing from the desert at
gale force.

The National Weather Service predicted north-northeast wind
of 35-45 mph Wednesday with gusts to 65 mph. By afternoon the velocity may be
down to 25-35 mph dropping in the evening to 10-15 mph with gusts to 20 mph. No
rain is in the forecast for at least the next week.

Racing is scheduled to resume Friday at Santa Anita with cards also drawn for Saturday and Sunday.